The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-11-24
For THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER.
THE CHEMISTRY OF WINE.

In a short paper of this character |
can give only a brief outline of the
chemistry of wine. My aim is rather
to point out how the science Of chem
istry has been and can be useful to
the wine maker, and to emphasize the
Importance of the grape industry in
this State.
That grapes can be grown success
fully in North Carolina is a fact we'll
established now by experiment. The
task that remains is to find the best
varieties and the best localities and to
learn how to dispose Of the crop to the
greatest advantage. There is a most
promising outlook for a profitable
utilization of the grapes in wine-mak-
ing. The great destruction of vine
yards in Europe by the phylloxera,
the consequent adulteration of the
wines imported into this country, and
the call for the pure homemade ar
ticle, are all cogent reasons why the
industry should flourish among us. 1t
is true that much of the American
made wine is sold under foreign labels
and can only find sale in that way,
but this is due to two facts: first, the
strong hold which recognized brands,
have on the public, and secondly,
American manufacturers are new to
the business and lack skill in picking,
sorting, fermenting and blending so
that the home product is frequently
crude, if [ may SO express 1t, and
hence not so attractive.
Now against the first fact fraud and
adulteration are so working that the
reputation of the brands is being lost,
or rather the public despairs of getting
the genuine article. With regard to
the second, l feel confident we can
learn to do better and can acquire the
needed skill if properly directed.
To understand our subject, we
must know the characteristic con
stituents of wine and in examining
into the nature of these substances it
is important to know first what are the
original constituents of the grape.
The average of many analyses (Koenig.
Die Menschlichen Nahrungs u. Cen
ussmittel II. SOY of German grapes is,
water 1917, albumen $3.50, sugar
l4.36, acid 10, hulls $50, ash SO,
nitrogen free matter 1876. [ purpose
next year, if possible, to examine our
native Scuppernongs and see how
they compare withthe German grapes.
Now the wine made from those
grapes contains water, alcohol coming
from the fermentation of the sugar,
glycerine from the same source, a lit
tie sugar unchanged-a little albumen,
and some yeast not gotten rid of dur
ing the clarifying. There is also some
gum and kindred unknown substances
which form part of the extract or the
body of the wine.
Of acid substances we have chiefly
tartaric, some malic, and according to
the handling of the wine, more or less
acetic or vinegar.
We find also tannic acid, valuable
for keeping it's keeping qualities, and
coloring matter in greater or lesser
amount, according to the grape and
according as to whether it is red or
white wine. There is always a small
proportion of mineral matter present,
and lastly a minute amount of certain
others, so small an amount that we
hardly get hold Of them in an analysis.
These others give the bouquet or bloom.
These are the most important con-
stituents and will suffice for our pur-
pose now, but one can understand how
really complex a liquid wine is when [
state that there are between forty and
fifty different substances in all present
in it.
Knowing hen the contents of wine,
it's artificial manufacture is an easy
thing, and it is made on a very large
scale, the main things needed for the
manufacture being sawdust, sulphuric
acid, c~oal-tar and water, other sub
stances being used in very small
amount, and SO close an imitation of
genuine wine can be made in this way
that I've a chemist, unless skillful,
might be deceived by it. But of
course it is not wine, and we need say
no more about 1t. Many things are
added to genuine wine, however, and
we can briefly mention some of those.
First, alcohol in the form of brandy
may be added. This is known as
terrifying the wine. 1t is a little
singular that alcohol was not known
until during the middle ages, nor was
brandy made until then. 1t was first